Head of Laboratory, Dr. sc. ing. Andrejs Pupurs
Ķīpsalas iela 6B–525
Laboratory of Experimental Mechanics of Materials of RTU (MEMZL) commenced its work in January, 2019, joining Institute of Mechanics and Mechanical Engineering.
The goal of MEMZL is to develop a new research direction at RTU, which is related to the development of experimental mechanics methods for innovative constructive materials. The main task of the laboratory is to study the operation of new multifunctional materials, composites and other innovative materials.
The scientific research currently carried out by MEMZL is mainly concerned with multifunctional materials which, in addition to absorbing mechanical loads, can simultaneously perform other essential functions, such as electrical conduction, temperature absorption or conduction, ion intercalation or any other physical / chemical function. The main advantage of such materials is the possibility to significantly reduce the total weight and volume of the structure at the system level.
That is why such materials have a great potential for use in aeronautics, automotive, electronics and other fields. Multifunctional construction materials combine several functions, they can interact in different ways. Therefore, new experimental methods are needed to study their complex operation.
Within the framework of the laboratory work, the short-term and long-term operation of such materials under static and dynamic loads is experimentally studied.
The laboratory's competence also includes the development of analytical and numerical models for predicting the performance of such materials under different loading conditions.
In 2022 Summer School «Fracture Structures: Material Stress Resistance» was hosted by Laboratory of Experimental Mechanics of Materials and it was attended by students coming from various universities across the world at Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral levels and lecturers from five countries.
The students participated in an array of lectures, workshops, lab sessions and industrial visits. We, at the Scientific Laboratory of Experimental Mechanics of Materials, provided students with hands-on training on composite materials manufacturing, testing, characterization and finite element modeling.